I’ll give a brief introduction as this is my first time writing in this section.

I'm one of the Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, who are elected to represent young people aged 12-25, by promoting their voices and campaigning for change to decision makers.

Firstly, I’d like to thank the Alloa Advertiser for this amazing opportunity to write about young people’s issues, and for taking such a modern view on including a wide range of perspectives in the media.

Since my term began in February of this year, a major campaign of mine has been improving young people’s access to sporting facilities.

I passed a motion at SYP in June, calling for this change as it is absolutely essential that young people are able to access sport. Many would argue that it is just a hobby and a pastime, but it is so much more than that.

Sport has the potential to change lives.

Yet, in areas of higher deprivation such as Clackmannanshire, it is harder to access facilities to partake in sport.

We have a wide range of astro-turf facilities here in Clacks, but when they are not in use, they are padlocked and barricaded. Locking up our sports pitches is chaining hope and stifling the healthy spark in young people.

This is why I would argue that publicly-funded facilities should be open to the public, especially during weekends and holidays.

Unlocking these vital pieces of infrastructure could unlock a wide range of benefits for the community as a whole.

With the ongoing mental health crisis, sport and outdoor activity will give young people the opportunity to improve their mental health in a profoundly positive way. The list of positives this change would bring is endless, from a decrease in youth loneliness, to reducing both obesity rates and young people’s ever-growing screen time.

Absolutely, there are counter arguments to this proposal. The most common to hear is cost, especially during a public sector funding crisis and it’s certainly important to be mindful of financial constraints.

A perspective I would encourage you to take into consideration, is that this is an investment in our future. sportscotland estimates that for every £1 spent on community sport and physical activity generates nearly £4 for the Scottish economy and society. This is before factoring in estimated reduced costs on our NHS as a result of individuals being healthier.

There is action already being taken by Clackmannanshire Council after campaigning from young people. After I met with decision makers last month, the council has agreed to launch a trial, in which the pitches at Lornshill Academy are opened during the October holidays.

This is a step in the right direction, yet more needs to be done. The Scottish Government must provide proper funding to councils with high levels of deprivation for sport, to ensure that all young people have equal opportunities.

It should never be acceptable to anyone that someone’s material circumstances determine whether or not they are able to access sporting activity.